The functions of the infinitive in the sentence
Week (2 hours)
1. Text:“Sources and Composition of Atmospheric Pollutants”
2. Grammar: The Infinitive
3. Listening and discussion: Text “The Earth Climate”
- Read, translate and retell the text.
Sources and Composition of Atmospheric Pollutants
Research carried out in the country has shown that automobile exhaust gases are a complicated mixture of many components. But their diversity may be broken down into several groups.
The first group includes non-toxic substances: nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen and water vapour. Carbon dioxide (CO2) may also be included in this group as it is not a threat to man.
The second group includes carbon monoxide (CO), a very toxic gas and present in large quantities (up to 12 per cent).
The third group consists of the nitrogen monoxide (NO) and dioxide (NO2), also very toxic.
The fourth, most numerous group of substances consists of the carbohydrates, including: ethylene, acetylene, methane, propane, toluene, and others.
The fifth group is made up of the aldehydes, mostly the very toxic formaldehyde (formalin).
Finally, the sixth group is soot emitted by Diesel engines. It has the capacity to adsorb the carcinogenic substances contained in exhaust fumes.
City air is polluted not only by exhaust fumes but also by the products of their oxidization, often more toxic than the initial substance. One of them is ozone which is useful in small quantities, but is deadly poisonous in large concentrations.
The problem of radioactive pollution of the atmosphere arose in 1945 after the atomic bombs were dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Since then atomic weapons have become much more powerful and have been stockpiled in large quantities.
When an atom bomb explodes, an extremely high level of radiation covers an enormous area for a long period of time as the radioactive particles are dispersed. From the atmosphere, the radioactive products fall on the earth, polluting the soil, water bodies and living organisms. Finely dispersed dust is carried many thousands of kilometres away and causes global radioactive pollution of the atmosphere.
Radioactive elements (isotopes) formed during the explosion are taken in by the human body in different ways and have different effect.
2. Grammar material:
The functions of the infinitive in the sentence
The infinitive can be used in different syntactic functions. A single infinitive occurs but seldom: in most cases we find an infinitive phrase, i.e. an infinitive with one or several accompanying words.
1. The infinitive as a subject.
To doubt, under the circumstances, is almost to insult. (Ch. .Bronte)
Сомневаться при таких обстоятельствах — это почти означает нанести оскорбление.
То acquire knowledge and to acquire it unceasingly, is the first duty of the artist. (Thurston)
Приобретать знания, и приобретать их непрерывно — вот первый долг художника.
Even to think of itgave him ineffable torture. (Bennett)
Одна мысль об этом причиняла ему невыразимые страдания.
То be recognized, greeted by some localpersonage afforded her a joy which was very great. (Cronin)
Когда ее узнавал и приветствовал какой-нибудь видный местный житель, она испытывала большую радость.
From these examples we can see that the infinitive as a subject can be rendered in Russian by an infinitive, by a noun, or by a clause.
Though the infinitive as the subject sometimes precedes the predicate, cases when it follows the predicate are far more common; with the infinitive in the latter position, the sentence opens with the introductory it, which serves as an introductory subject. The introductory it is not translated into Russian.
Itis useless to discuss the question.(Eliot)
Бесполезно обсуждать этот вопрос.
Itwas pleasant to be driving a car again.(Braine)
Было приятно снова вести машину.
2. The infinitive as a preidicative.
My intention is to get into parliament.(Trollope)
Моя цель — пройти в парламент.
The infinitive can also be used as part of a predicative.
The abode of Mrs. Betty was not easy to find. (Dickens)
Жилище миссис Бетти было нелегко найти.
3. The infinitive as part of a compound verbal predicate.
(a) With modal verbs, modal expressions, and verbs expressing modality the infinitive forms part of a compound verbal modal predicate.
We must not leavehim by himself any longer. (Dickens)
The train was to leaveat midnight. (Hemingway)
...I intend to leada better life in the future. (Wilde)
(b) With verbs denoting the beginning, duration, or end of an action the infinitive forms part of a compound verbal aspectpredicate.
Imprisonment began to tellupon him. (Dickens)
Before daylight it started to drizzle.(Hemingway)
Clare continued to observeher. (Hardy)
...they gradually ceased to talk. (Twain)